IGG SUBCLASS LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH B-CELL CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA

Patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (BCLL) have low lev els of serum IgG. In order to determine if this is a pan IgG deficienc y or a selective suppression of one or more IgG subclasses, levels of IgG 1, 2, 3 and 4 in nine BCLL patients were determined and compared t o those of nine age and sex matched controls. No significant differenc es were found in the levels of IgG1 and IgC2, but the patients were fo und to have significantly lower levels of IgG3 (p < 0.05) and IgG4 (p < 0.05). Selective deficiencies of these isotypes may explain the part icular pattern of infection seen in BCLL patients.